Best Daysailor
 

Doug,

You are right about the rig on a lightning but I remember sailing on one
that was made into an overnighter ( for not having a better name) It had
a shelter cabin built into it and the rig was simplified by the addition
of a boomkin. It was a strange looking vessel but it was a hell of a
boat. It was a hell of a sailer also and when the weather would start
to press it he would partially rise the centerboard and accept some
leeway to keep her hull under control

Her skipper had the boat that he wanted. It was an old wooden model that
he got dirt cheap. He taped the seams and it was dry and although he
never officially raced it, it was still damn fast. He could anchor out
but his favorite way to overnight was to nose it up to the beach, set
the boom tent and enjoy the access of the land.

OT

Best Daysailor
 

Nutsy,

A Catboat is a good boat for the Sound. They big sail is great for the
light air of the Sound and the Mast stepped that far forward does make
for great cockpits and sailing with one string is great; BUT Remember a
Catboat is a Catboat and a Gaff Rigged Catboat is the worst kind.

If you don't know what I'm talking about it is WEATHER HELM. The curse
of the Catboat. With that big sail mounted on the pointy end, when you
let that big sail out the center of effort get way outboard and forward.
With that leverage that far forward is the reason for that barn door
rudder on the other end of the boat.

With those huge rudders there is a tendency to over control. You really
have never experienced sail terror until you've had an accidental Gybe
with a Gaff Rigged Cat Sail in a freshening breeze.
If you can keep smiling during a Goose Wing Gybe or a Round Up, a
Catboat is a fun boat. I like them. I learned to sail big boats on one.
Remember that the "Friendship Sloop" was designed to relieve some of
that Catboat tendencies

Ole Thom

Best Daysailor
 

Best Daysailor
 

Thom Stewart wrote:

Doug,

You are right about the rig on a lightning but I remember sailing on one
that was made into an overnighter ( for not having a better name) It had
a shelter cabin built into it

Bet it didn't have much headroom. Lightnings are low sided boats. Low boom,
too!

.. It was a strange looking vessel but it was a hell of a
boat. It was a hell of a sailer also and when the weather would start
to press it he would partially rise the centerboard and accept some
leeway to keep her hull under control

I've used that same trick on a couple of different boats. It works best with
boats that either have daggerboards like a Laser, or a short stubby
centerboard. A Lightning has a long centerboard, raising it brings the
denter of lateral resistance aft but it's also a hard-chine boat. A good
skipper would be able to balance the helm when heeled against the
further-aft shifted CLR.




....although he
never officially raced it, it was still damn fast.

Yep, the Lightning is a thoroughbred all right. They aren't that impressive
with regard to numbers like S/D, but they'll beat a lot of boats with better
numbers.


He could anchor out
but his favorite way to overnight was to nose it up to the beach, set
the boom tent and enjoy the access of the land.

Sounds like a lot of fun. Have to be careful where you do that, though....
between irate property owners and snakes, the cruise be a short one!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Best Daysailor
 

Doug,

Your right about the cabin. It was made to hold two sleeping bag bunks
and storage for the coleman stove and lamp. The living was done under
the boom tent and boat cover, when at anchor or nosed up on the beach.

The shelter cabin did have sitting head room (More or less) It had no
head. It was a Chase & Sanborn Yacht. He sure did have a lot of time on
it.

OT

Best Daysailor
 

No Oz,

Etchell is a good keel boat..I ran into this Lightning when I still had
my Canoe. He use to handle bad weather like I did. We'd run for the
beach. I'd pull the canoe above to high water line, pull the mast and
turn the hull over prop up with a paddle and close the open side with
the sail. He would run the lightning onto the beach, set the tent and
wait out the storm. He had a lot more comfort than me

I'm afraid you couldn't get an Etchell to far up the beach

OT

Best Daysailor
 

yeah Oz,

I've seen a lot of Etchells dry sailed off the trailer. It would be a
way to go

OT

Best Daysailor
 

I've seen a lot of Etchells dry sailed off the trailer. It would be a
way to go

Capetanios Oz wrote:
You have?
How stupid can people be?

What's stupid about dry sailing from a trailer?

A lot of clubs over here don't have deep water bulkheads & hoists.
Besides, if you drive to away regattas, then your boat is on a road
trailer and needs to be rigged up anyway.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Best Daysailor
 

"Donals Delight." wrote:

Launching an Etchells from a trailer is daunting enough.
The retrieval is nigh impossible.

Well, I've seen no Etchells trailers that have guide bars for the keel,
either. Using a trailer that's designed for storage & rolling around the
boatyard on the highway and for ramp launch/retrieval is sure gonna be tough.

I would agree that it's not an optimal design for ramp launching. But that
doesn't make the people who do it stupid, if they don't have any other
option.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Best Daysailor
 

"Donals Delight." wrote:

Yep, we use triclcle trolleys for around the deck and specially built
4 wheel trailers for the road.
With the trailer the base of the keel travels about10" off the
roadway, putting the waterline about head height.

I like the rigs that have a big box trailer to carry all gear, tools, sails, etc
etc; with the hull on a trolley that rolls up inside. Somehow I have never laid
out the bucks for one though!


What length draw bar extension would you propose for the average ramp?

..... in the south east US, I'd suggest one long enough to get out past the first
couple of channel markers ;)

DSK